Scottish Border- 804 AD

Crossing and uncrossing her legs, Tualla couldn't get comfortable as the sensation became unbearable. She couldn’t hold it much longer.

"What are you doing?" A sleepy Torsten growled without opening his eyes.

"I— I need to pee."

"Nice try." He made an exaggerated laugh before rolling over. "Go to sleep."

She couldn’t even attempt to sneak away since he'd further restrained her.

Whimpering in desperation, she squirmed beside him. "Please," she squeaked, biting her lip as she squeezed her thighs together. "I'm desperate."

Frustrated, he sat up and squinted at her through tired eyes. Huffing, he shuffled out of his blanket. Like some sort of sack, it wrapped around his body with one opening at the top. 

Tualla gazed at the tattoos on his chest before averting her eyes from his naked body.

He untied the rope which he'd attached to the boat and followed her to the same spot as earlier. "Do not try anything." 

"I won't." She went to pee and didn't even complain when he refused to turn around. 

Feeling much better, they made their way back to camp.

"You should thank me for not making you pee yourself." 

"Thank you for holding me against my will. I really enjoy having to ask for permission to pee."

He chuckled. "Good girl. You are learning." 

Tualla waited patiently for Torsten to re-tie her restraints. "Even if I could escape, I wouldn't." 

He raised a sceptical eyebrow as he finished up. "You tried to kill me." 

"That was before…"

"Before what?" 

"Nevermind," she said, slumping down into her spot. 

Torsten climbed back into his blanket. "Now go to sleep." 

She stared at him for a long time while he slept. Seeing him in a different light, he didn’t seem as scary or intimidating. She could even let herself admire his masculine features. 

With a yawn, she snuggled into the cosy blanket and tomorrow, she would start earning his trust.

***

"Wake up," Torsten's voice pulled Tualla from her sleep. 

Groaning, Tualla stirred and forced her eyes open. They stung from lack of sleep and she found Torsten grinning at her. "Now it is my turn to keep you awake."

Although the sun was barely up, the camp bustled with life. With breakfast cooking, the men spent a lot of time grooming themselves. Even Torsten took a considerable amount of time tidying his russet-tinted beard and styling his hair.

After breakfast, there seemed to be a buzz around the camp. In high spirits, they cleaned and sharpened their weapons. If Tualla didn’t know any better, she'd say they were preparing for a battle.

"Where are you going?" she asked Torsten when he came to check on her. 

He glanced at her but didn't answer. 

"I want to come." 

Although he smirked, he continued to ignore her and it riled Tualla more than she’d admit.

"I know how to fight," Tualla said. "I can help you." 

"Is that so? But I do not trust you." Torsten walked away, dishing out orders to his men.
 
As she tried to follow, her bindings held her back. "How long will you be gone?" 

With a glance over his shoulder, he smirked at her. Gods, she hated it when he ignored her like that, and didn't he know it!

Later, the men began clearing everything out from under the boats and hauled them into the water. A formidable sight, each of the four vessels featured a serpent head at the front and their shields hung over the sides. 

Once loaded up with weapons, Torsten and his men climbed in and sailed upstream.

***

Two older men were left behind with Tualla. Although they wouldn't let her out of their sight, they also kept their distance and she spent most of the day bored, waiting for Torsten to return.

When she saw the boats in the distance, she struggled to hide her excitement. They disembarked, cheering as they hauled their boats ashore.

Torsten spoke to the two older men before approaching Tualla.

"You are still here?" he said with a cocky smile.

"Well yes, what did you expect? I'm tied up."

He chuckled. "You didn’t even try to escape."

"I told you I wouldn't." 

Torsten raised a brow, his blue eyes boring into her— she could easily get lost in those.

"What happens now?" 

“Now, my men celebrate and tomorrow we set sail for home.”

“And where is home?”

“Across the sea.”

“No. We can’t leave yet." Tualla felt sick and dizzy. That didn't give her enough time to gain Torsten’s trust. "You’re supposed to help me.”

“Help you?” Torsten’s shoulders shook as he laughed. "Have you forgotten you are a prisoner?" He yanked on her restraints to prove his point.

“I was brought here—" 

“Yes, you were brought here by the man who found you.” His eyes turned cold and she knew their conversation was over… for now at least.

With the camp back up and running, the men spent the rest of the day comparing wounds, reenacting battles and showing off their plunder. Gold and silver seemed to be the most popular, but they brought along some livestock and other captured people. 
The women were forced under the shelters and one by one, the men took turns with them. Tualla shuddered. She suspected Torsten had protected her from a similar fate. But why? 

She stared at him, trying to understand his motivations. 

“Why are you watching me?” Torsten asked without looking her way.

“Why did you stop that man from hurting me?”

In his usual fashion, he shrugged and didn’t answer.

“You saved me for a reason.”

“Tell me about your gods. Why would they bring you here?”

Tualla told him about the prophecy, Edwin’s betrayal, and her quest for vengeance. “And when I touched you, I saw us in Elnwich, together.”

“Your gods sound as cruel and twisted as mine.” He laughed, shaking his head. “Suppose I do help you, what would I gain?”

“Gold. Lots of gold. They have a church filled with it.”

“If it is true that you are here by the will of the gods, you will have no problem proving it.”

“What do you propose?”

“We shall fight. If you win, myself and my men will help you.”

“And if you win?”

A mischievous grin spread across his face as he grabbed her by the hips, pulling her tight against his body. “If I win,” he whispered, his blue eyes sparkled as he stared deep into hers, “you belong to me.”

***

His terms were clear; two weapons each and the intent was to disarm or disable. When Tualla agreed, Torsten whipped his men into a frenzy, gathering them around to come and witness the show.

Presented with a range of weapons, Tualla ignored the many axes and examined the ones she knew how to handle. A large sword caught her attention. Her fingers raked over the cold edge and traced the engraved runes around the pommel. Wrapping a hand around the hilt, she raised the sword to get a feel for it. Well made, the steel seemed strong and sturdy, but the weight would slow her down. 

Torsten had strength and fast reflexes on his side. To stand any chance of winning, she had to play to her strengths. She examined a few bows, pulling the strings back before settling on one. But without much distance, a bow left her vulnerable if it came down to hand to hand combat, although if it did, she’d have already lost. For her other choice, she picked a lighter sword, swishing it through the air before tucking it in her belt.

Once done, Torsten stared at Tualla as he picked up the large sword she’d handled. Is that why she’d been drawn to it? Because the sword belonged to him? He completed the look with a red circular shield, then ordered his men to move out, creating a ring around them. 

“You claim to be favoured by the gods," he said with a cocky smile. "Let’s find out.” 

Tualla positioned herself as close to the opposite edge as possible, making sure she had enough space to pull back her bow. Her pulse thudded in her ears as they waited for the signal.

With the blast of a horn, Tualla reached for an arrow and notched it. She took aim at Torsten charging her way and released. She didn’t wait to see where it hit before notching another and repeating. She’d shot three arrows, all embedded in his shield, before he barged into her and knocked her to the ground. 

Discarding her bow, she reached for the sword, but Torsten already had his pressed against her throat, pinning her in place as his men cheered. 

“Now you belong to me.” His eyes danced with victory, a smug smile on his face. “I could kill you now if I wished.”

“Then do it,” Tualla said, pushing forward so the blade nicked her neck. “I’m not afraid of death.”

A sudden surge of static hummed through the air. A flash of blinding light zipped down from the heavens, striking a nearby tree. The men cowered at the crack of thunder. 

Even Torsten seemed unnerved, staring up at the clear sky as it continued to rumble. Dropping his sword, he offered his hand to Tualla. Confused by their reaction, Tualla let him help her up. 

“It seems you are favoured by my gods afterall.” He appeared small and humble as he spoke. “We will help you.”

Her chest swelled with elation as she heard those words.

She wouldn't settle for anything less than the cold hard vengeance her people deserved.

Author's note-

Thanks for reading and I really hope you're enjoying my story. Please consider leaving a vote or comment if you did.

Did you know... Vikings invented sleeping bags? Because they slept on the deck, they used seal skin to keep them warm and dry on voyages. During bad weather, the sail could be lowered and used as a canopy to protect them from the elements.